Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a leading cause of work-related disability and absenteeism. Despite their high prevalence among office workers, including university employees, little research has examined the association between MSDs, physical activity (PA), and stress in this population. This study investigates the prevalence of MSDs and their associations with PA levels and perceived stress among university employees. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among employees of the University of Turin and the Politecnico di Torino. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, MSDs (Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire), PA (Global Physical Activity Questionnaire), and stress (Perceived Stress Scale). Negative binomial regression models estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95

INTRODUCTION:Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are the most commonly reported health problem among workers in Europe. Manual handling of loads and awkward postures are cited as important risk factors for WMSDs. Exoskeletons, wearable devices that support and stabilize the locomotor system, are emerging as a lifting aid that could reduce muscular effort and potentially lessen the impact and the prevalence of WMSDs among manual workers. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to summarize the current scientific evidence on passive exoskeletons designed to support the lower back. METHODS:A systematic search was conducted on Pubmed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science and CINAHL, including papers investigating the acute effects of passive lumbar exoskeletons and studies comparing experimental and control groups. A three-level meta-analysis was conducted for five groups of outcomes: electromyographic evaluations, subjective reports of effort and discomfort, kinetic and metabolic measurements and performance in functional tests. RESULTS:We retrieved 1750 items, and ultimately included 50 articles, encompassing a total of 787 participants. The pooled effect sizes (with 95% Confidence Intervals and p value) for each outcome were: EMG = 0.29 (0.19; 0.40, p < .0001); subjective outcomes = 0.10 (-0.09; 0.30, p = .30); kinetic outcomes = 0.47 (0.24; 0.70, p < .0001); metabolic outcomes = 0.15 (0.08; 0.23, p < .0001); performance = -0.10 (-0.27; 0.06, p = .22). Body part was a significant moderator for EMG, while task domain was a moderator for subjective reports. DISCUSSION:Passive back-support exoskeletons have a positive effect on muscular activation, as well as kinetic and metabolic outcomes. However, the effect on subjective perceptions and performance appears non-significant due to the coexistence of positive and negative effects on different tasks and body parts. All of the included studies adopted a within-subject design, and most were of moderate methodological quality. CONCLUSION:This type of exoskeletons shows a modest yet significant biomechanical and physiological effect, which is attributable to reduced muscle activity and spinal loading. Further longitudinal studies are needed to assess the long-term effects of these adaptations.

BACKGROUND:Patients with pancreatic cancer (PC) commonly present with reduced aerobic fitness, sarcopenia, and malnutrition, which may increase perioperative risk and compromise access to chemotherapy treatments. Although exercise-based prehabilitation can improve physical fitness, its implementation is often limited by short diagnostic-to-surgery intervals and treatment-related toxicity. METHODS:We conducted a pilot prospective pretest-posttest feasibility study in Torino, Italy. Patients with PC undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to surgery were offered a 4-week, partially supervised, home-based bimodal exercise prehabilitation program (single-arm design) combining remotely monitored high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on a cycle ergometer with functional and resistance exercises. The primary outcome was adherence to prescribed exercise frequency, intensity, and duration, objectively assessed via remote monitoring. Secondary outcomes included cardiorespiratory fitness (CPET), muscle function, body composition, fatigue, quality of life, and circulating inflammatory markers. RESULTS:From July 2022 to February 2024, 23 patients were screened; 15 were eligible and 10 enrolled. Four participants discontinued the intervention (two due to asthenia/fatigue, one due to chemotherapy-related adverse events, and one for organizational reasons), leaving six participants who completed the program. Among completers, fatigue and quality of life did not change meaningfully. Aerobic capacity and muscle function outcomes were generally stable, with few pre-post changes exceeding the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) thresholds used. Body composition markers and the assessed circulating cytokines/chemokines remained unchanged except for IL-6 levels, which decreased significantly (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:A partially supervised, home-based HIIT-based prehabilitation program is feasible for a subset of PC patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy, but a substantial attrition rate suggests the need for more flexible symptom-adapted prescriptions and enhanced supportive strategies.

The physiological determinants of explosive strength are usually investigated separately. We aimed to quantify the relative contributions of muscle excitation, structural, and mechanical determinants of rapid torque production in the knee extensors in a multi-domain framework. Twenty-four young adults performed ballistic isometric knee extensions. High-density surface electromyographic (HD-sEMG) signals were recorded from vasti lateralis and medialis muscles. Patellar tendon stiffness and muscle architecture were assessed via ultrasound. Impulse and RTDpeak were outcomes. The predictors were from four domains: muscle excitation, muscle thickness, fascicle shortening velocity, and tendon stiffness. Linear regressions and LMG were used to quantify the weight of each predictor. The models explained substantial variance in impulse: R2 = 0.62 (0-50 ms), 0.76 (0-75 ms), 0.74 (0-100 ms), 0.61 (0-125 ms), 0.70 (0-150 ms). Early impulse (50 and 75 ms) was mainly explained by tendon stiffness and muscle excitation; mid-phase impulse (100 ms) by fascicle velocity and tendon stiffness; late impulse (125 and 150 ms) by fascicle shortening velocity and muscle thickness. RTDpeak was explained (R2 = 0.70) by patellar tendon stiffness (~32% of impulse variance), fascicle velocity (~18%), muscle thickness (~12%), and muscle excitation (~8%). Four predictors across different neuromechanical domains explained up to 76% of the variance in rapid torque production. Interestingly, the determinants shift over time: tendon stiffness and muscle excitation dominate earlier, while fascicle dynamics and muscle size become more important later. RTDpeak was largely determined by tendon stiffness and a balanced contribution of muscular predictors.

We developed the Physical Capacity Score, a set of validated and commonly used physical tests for adults, administered through a custom-built hardware and software platform that enables automated data collection and analysis. This study aimed to evaluate the platform's repeatability, examine age-related differences, and explore the relationships between different physical capacities in a sample of adults. A total of 812 participants (aged 18-68 years, 63.5% female) were recruited. Participants completed six physical tests: finger tapping, handgrip strength, single-leg stance, sit-and-reach, five-times sit-to-stand, and the YMCA 3-minute step test. Outcome data were standardized by gender (z-scores) and analyzed across age groups using ANOVA. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was used to assess redundancy among outcomes, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted. In a test-retest analysis, all variables demonstrated coefficient of variation (COV) <10% and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) >0.90, except for CoP path length (COV = 10.5%, ICC = 0.64). Correlations among outcomes were weak (r range: 0.036-0.373). While all physical capacities declined with age (p < 0.001), effect sizes varied: from the least to the most age-sensitive outcome (η2 values), we found differences in handgrip strength (η2 = 0.035), sit-and-reach (η2 = 0.050), finger tapping (η2 = 0.059), CoP path length (η2 = 0.095), lower-limb power (η2 = 0.148), and cardiorespiratory fitness (η2 = 0.389). The average PCA component scores revealed large age-related differences (η2 = 0.301). Our findings suggest that the developed platform is a valuable tool for assessing physical function, and all physical tests captured distinct aspects of physical capacities. This highlights the necessity of employing a comprehensive battery of tests to gain a holistic understanding of an individual's physical health and detect age-related decline effectively.

This study investigated interlimb asymmetries in lower limb performance using both vertical and horizontal jump tests in elite young basketball players. Specifically, it aimed to determine whether (1) unilateral jump performance and (2) the magnitude of interlimb asymmetry differed across maturity groups, whether (3) limb dominance influences performance, and whether (4) asymmetry direction is consistent across tests. One hundred elite male basketball players (U13 to U19) were categorised into three maturational stages: Pre-PHV (n = 19), Circa-PHV (n = 29), and Post-PHV (n = 52). Each athlete performed the following unilateral tests with both the dominant and non-dominant leg: single-leg hop, triple hop for distance, 6 m timed hop, single-leg countermovement jump (SL-CMJ), and single-leg drop jump (SL-DJ) from a 30 cm box. The Bilateral Strength Asymmetry (BSA) index was computed for each test. All tests showed significant differences between Pre-PHV and Circa-PHV groups (p < 0.001), whereas only the 6 m timed hop differed between Circa-PHV and Post-PHV (p < 0.01). BSA did not differ significantly across maturation stages in any test, except for the single-leg hop. Agreement in asymmetry direction between test pairs was slight to fair (kappa ≤ 0.29). BSA values remained largely stable across maturational stages, suggesting that interlimb asymmetries are established before PHV, likely during childhood. Limb dominance did not affect jump performance, and asymmetry direction varied between tests, confirming they are not interchangeable.

This study aimed to compare changes in 9–11 years old Italian children for fitness outcomes, following a structured multicomponent intervention, The Daily Mile, and usual school physical education lessons (i.e., control group). Before and after three different 6-month weekly PAIs (2 h of structured physical workouts, with a sport science expert; 4 units of The Daily Mile + 1 h of physical activity with the generalist teacher; control group, 2 h of physical activity with the generalist teacher), 263 children were anthropometrically measured (stature, body mass), and evaluated by means of physical tests regarding sprint (20 m-sprint), endurance (shuttle-run), balance (single-leg-stance), dominant upper-limb strength (handgrip), lower-limbs muscle power (standing-long-jump), and flexibility (sit-and-reach) physical fitness qualities. To distinguish active and non-active children, participants filled the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children – Italian version (PAQ-C-it) at PRE. Post-intervention outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models (with PRE values, age and PRE–POST ΔBMI as covariates). For standing long jump, the structured PAI determined higher post-intervention values than the control group (estimated difference = 18.55 ± 4.6 cm, p = 0.001, d = 1.03) and The Daily Mile group (estimated difference = 10.89 ± 3.09 cm, p = 0.008, d = 0.6). For single-leg stance with eyes open, the structured PAI group achieved higher post-intervention values than The Daily Mile group (estimated difference = 25.10 ± 8.16 s, p = 0.016, d = 0.7). No other difference emerged between PAIs. In addition, male reported better shuttle run higher post-intervention values (p = 0.008, ηp2 = 0.03) than female. No effects for sex-intervention-physical status interactions emerged. Therefore, PAI effects are limited and outcome-specific, with only structured approach able to promote some fitness enhancements, regardless from the beginning physical status of students, thus suggesting to moderately consider the association between school PAIs and substantial fitness positive post-intervention variations.

PurposeThe aim of this pilot study was to evaluate differences in vasti muscle motor unit (MU) firing between individuals with current patellofemoral pain (PFP) and asymptomatic controls during submaximal isometric knee extension contractions in both single-joint (knee extension) and multi-joint (leg press) exercises.MethodsTen individuals with PFP and ten age- and gender-matched asymptomatic controls performed submaximal isometric contractions (10-70% maximum voluntary isometric contraction; MVIC) during single-joint and multi-joint exercises. High-density surface electromyography assessed MU discharge properties of the vastus medialis (VM) and vastus lateralis (VL), while torque steadiness was quantified using the coefficient of variation of torque.ResultsNeural drive to the vasti muscles was comparable between groups across both exercises however, individuals with PFP exhibited reduced torque steadiness during single-joint compared to multi-joint exercises. This reduction in torque steadiness was accompanied by increased MU discharge rate variability at higher torque levels (50-70% MVIC), particularly for the VL muscle at 70% MVIC. For those with PFP, their pain intensity was also higher during single-joint exercises, which may have further contributed to the aforementioned neuromuscular impairments. Additionally, MU firing-torque relationships revealed neuromuscular adjustments in people with PFP, indicated by significantly lower cross-correlation values during multi-joint exercises compared to the asymptomatic controls.ConclusionPhysically active people with PFP exhibit reduced torque steadiness, increased discharge rate variability, and potentially altered MU firing-torque relationships during single-joint knee extension exercise. These MU adaptations likely reflect neuromuscular adjustments to ongoing PFP, helping to sustain force production despite impaired motor control and potentially mitigating pain during multi-joint exercises.

Background/Objectives: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of non-cancer mortality in cancer survivors. Exercise interventions are widely used to enhance cardiorespiratory fitness, typically assessed by VO2peak, which predicts postoperative complications and poorer clinical outcomes. Prehabilitation provides an opportunity to optimize health. Given time constraints, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may represent a time-efficient strategy to improve fitness during prehabilitation. This meta-analysis examines the effects of HIIT-based prehabilitation versus usual care on VO2peak in cancer patients. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Cinahl, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from database inception to August 1, 2024 using terms related to cancer, prehabilitation, and HIIT. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed on studies assessing the effects of HIIT versus usual care on VO2peak in adults with cancer undergoing prehabilitation. Seven studies comprising 352 participants (aged 56-73 years) with mixed cancer types were analyzed. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (v2) and the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT). The primary outcome was VO2peak, analyzed using standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: The meta-analysis demonstrated a small but statistically significant effect in favor of HIIT over UC (SMD = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.09-0.52, p < 0.01), with low between-study heterogeneity (I2 = 10%). Conclusions: This meta-analysis shows that HIIT-based prehabilitation can improve cardiorespiratory fitness in cancer patients and may provide a clinically relevant, time-efficient strategy to optimize functional capacity before treatment. However, the included studies exhibited substantial clinical heterogeneity, and although all interventions were labeled as HIIT, exercise intensity was not assessed consistently across studies, underscoring the need for cancer-specific randomized controlled trials with standardized HIIT protocols and objective intensity verification.

(1) Background: Recent decades have seen growing interest in neuroplasticity and the activity-dependent mechanisms that allow Brain Networks to adapt functionally. Among the various stimuli, physical exercise has emerged as a key modulator of brain plasticity. This narrative review aims to synthesize evidence on the structural and functional effects of physical exercise on the brain in healthy individuals aged 18–80 years. Exercise modalities were categorized into Cardiovascular, Strength, and Mixed Training. Each was further classified by intensity (Light-to-Moderate vs. Vigorous) and duration (Short- vs. Long-Term). A total of 25 interventions were analyzed to evaluate how these variables influence Brain Networks. Findings indicate that exercise type, intensity, and duration collectively modulate neuroplastic responses. Notably, physical training induces structural and functional changes in major Brain Networks, including the Default Mode Network, Salience Network, Central Executive Network, Visuospatial Network, Sensorimotor Network, and Language and Auditory Networks. These results underscore the potential of physical exercise as an effective non-pharmacological strategy to enhance brain health and plasticity across the adult lifespan. This narrative review aims to highlight the effects of physical exercise in changing the brain either functionally or structurally. Moreover, the most relevant exercise training modalities that may improve/change neural networks in healthy populations (18–80 years) were discussed. (2) Methods: Three different types of exercise were considered: (i) Cardiovascular, (ii) Strength, and (iii) Mixed Exercise. For each of them, two levels of intensity (Light-to-Moderate and Vigorous) and two durations (Short-Term and Long-Term Effects) were included. By analyzing 25 interventions, indications about the effects on the brain considering the three factors (type of exercises, intensities, and durations) were provided. (3) Results: The findings suggest that the type of exercises, intensities, and durations could to lead neural modification over time. Specifically, exercise intervention contributes to both structural and functional changes in brain regions located in key Brain Networks, including the Default Mode Network, Salience Network, Central Executive Network, Visuospatial Network, Sensorimotor Network, and Language and Auditory Networks. (4) Conclusions: In conclusion, the evidence presented herein underscores the beneficial effects of physical exercise on the structural and functional integrity of the brain, highlighting its importance as a non-pharmacological intervention to improve brain plasticity.

This study aimed to analyse the sex differences in the rate of torque development (RTD) and torque–velocity parameters with and without normalisation for maximal voluntary torque (MVT). Right-leg knee extensors were tested in 64 healthy and active participants (31 F and 33 M). MVT and RTD were obtained under isometric conditions. Individual torque–velocity relationships were obtained using a curvilinear model on averaged torque and velocity over 80°-to-140° knee angle. Dynamic data were acquired through an incremental protocol on a leg extension machine, going from the lightest to the unmovable load despite maximal effort. Independent samples t test revealed (p < 0.001) that males possess greater RTD measured at 50 ms (d = −1.2), 100ms (d = −2.1) and 150ms (d = −2.3), peak RTD (d = −1.3) and MVT (d = 2.1). When normalised by MVT, the sex differences in RTD disappeared. Curvilinear hyperbolic TV relationship well-fitted (R2 = 0.99). In FV parameters, maximal theoretical torque (d = −1.7), maximal power (Pmax) (d = −2.0), and torque at Pmax (d = −1.7) were greater in males (p < .05), while maximal theoretical velocity (V0) and velocity at Pmax did not differ. The sex differences in explosiveness (i.e., rapid isometric and dynamic force production) were mainly due to greater maximal strength in males than in females. These findings suggest that, in non-sedentary people, males do not present higher contraction velocity capacities, i.e. higher maximal velocity until which muscles can produce force, than females in knee extension.

We investigate the contribution of isometric rate of torque development (RTD) and maximal voluntary torque (MVT) to the dynamic force production capacities of knee extensors obtained from the torque-velocity (TV) relationship, that is, the theoretical maximal velocity (V0), torque (T0), and maximal power (Pmax). Single-leg knee extensors were tested in 64 young adults (31 females). RTD and root mean square (RMS) of electromyographic signals from the knee extensors were recorded during isometric and incremental load dynamic (nonisokinetic) contractions. In the dynamic test, torque and velocity were continuously measured and averaged over 80°-140° knee angles to determine individual TV relationships. TV relationships were well fitted by hyperbolic regression (r2 from 0.983 to 0.993). Stepwise linear regressions showed that the main determinant of V0 was normalized RTD50 (R2 = 0.145, p = 0.004); the main determinant of T0 was MVT (R2 = 0.760, p < 0.001); and the main determinant of Pmax was RTD150 (R2 = 0.612, p < 0.001). V0 (when obtained from averaged values over knee extension) is partially explained by rapid torque capacity (i.e., "explosive strength"). Therefore, the capacity to produce torque at high velocity partly depends on the capacity to rise quickly the torque in the early phase of the contraction, suggesting that some underlying determinants of RFD would also affect V0.

High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are present in people living with HIV (PLWH), produced by intense physical activity; in response, our body produces antioxidant molecules. ROS influence the expression of gene-encoding enzymes and transporters involved in drug biotransformation. In addition, pharmacogenetics can influence transporter activity, and thus drug exposure. Currently, no studies concerning this topic are present in the literature. The aim of this study was to investigate whether some antioxidant molecules, physical exercise, and genetic variants could affect dolutegravir (DTG) concentrations in PLWH, switching from triple to dual therapy. Thirty PLWH were recruited and analyzed at baseline (triple therapy), and 6 months after (dual therapy). Physical capacities were investigated using validated tools. Drug concentrations and oxidative stress biomarkers levels were evaluated through liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, while genetic variants through real-time PCR. No statistical differences were suggested for drug concentrations, with the exception of intracellular DTG (p = 0.047). Statistically significant correlations between DTG plasma concentrations and white blood cells (p = 0.011; S = 0.480) and cytoplasmic N-acetyl-cysteine (p = 0.033; S = −0.419) were observed. Finally, white blood cells and BMI remained in the final multivariate regression model as predictors of DTG concentrations. This is the first study showing possible factors related to oxidative stress impacting DTG exposure.

Background: Dietary advice for Paralympic athletes (PAs) with a spinal cord injury (PAs-SCI) requires particular attention and has been widely studied. However, currently, no particular attention has been addressed to nutritional guidelines for athletes with an amputation (PAs-AMP). This study aimed at filling up this gap, at least partially, and compared veteran PAs-SCI with PAs-AMP. Methods: A sample of 25 male PAs (12 with SCI and 13 with AMP), recruited during two training camps, was submitted to the following questionnaires: allergy questionnaire for athletes (AQUA), Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), Starvation Symptom Inventory (SSI), neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD), orthorexia (ORTO-15/ORTO-7), alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT), and Mediterranean diet adherence (MDS). The PAs were also submitted to the following measurements: dietary Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) and intakes, body composition, handgrip strength (HGS), basal energy expenditure (BEE), peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), peak power, peak heart rate (HR), post-exercise ketosis, and antioxidant response after a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) to voluntary fatigue. Results: Compared to PAs-AMP, PAs-SCI had higher NBD and lower VO2peak (p < 0.05), peak power, peak HR, peak lactate, phase angle (PhA) of the dominant leg (p < 0.05), and ORTO15 (p < 0.05). The latter was related to NBD (r = −0.453), MDS (r = −0.638), and ORAC (r = −0.529), whereas ORTO7 correlated with PhA of the dominant leg (r = 0.485). Significant differences between PAs-AMP and PAs-SCI were not found in the antioxidant response, glucose, and ketone levels after CPET, nor in dietary intake, AUDIT, AQUA, NMQ, SSI, BEE, HGS, and FM%. Conclusions: The present study showed that PAs-SCI and PAs-AMP display similar characteristics in relation to lifestyle, energy intake, basal energy expenditure, and metabolic response to CPET. Based on both the similarities with PAs-SCI and the consequences of the limb deficiency impairment, PAs-AMP and PAs-SCI require personalized nutritional advice.

ABSTRACT:Grossio, L, Salvaggio, F, Brustio, PR, Rainoldi, A, Samozino, P, and Boccia, G. Both isometric and dynamic testing are essential for a comprehensive assessment of the knee extensors. J Strength Cond Res 39(10): e1226-e1232, 2025-The improvements of measurement tools and data analysis enhanced our possibilities to assess neuromuscular performance, but also created confusion regarding significance and practical applications of this available information. To simplify the strength assessment understanding, our purpose was to group force, velocity, and power metrics that could provide similar outcomes. We measured single-leg knee extensor strength under isometric and dynamic conditions on 64 young adults (33 men and 31 women). Subjects performed maximal and burst-like contractions under isometric conditions to assess maximal torque (MVT) and rate of torque development (RTD). Under dynamic conditions, a torque-velocity relationship was obtained from an incremental load test. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to reduce the dimensionality of the data set and group variables. Principal component analysis identified 4 components: (a) "Maximal force" (composed by MVT, T 0 , RTD 100 , RTD 150 , T opt , Pmax ), (b) "Explosiveness" (composed by RTD 50 , RTD peak , RTD 50 N, RTD 100 N, RTD 150 N, RTD peak N, time to peak torque, time to RTD peak ), (c) "Force at high velocity" (composed by V 0 and V opt ), and (d) "Curvature" (C). When data were normalized by sex differences, "Explosiveness" resulted as the first component and Pmax was included in the "Force at high velocity" component. The present findings remark the importance of testing the explosiveness (i.e., early RTD and normalized RTD metrics) together with torque-velocity profiling, to have a more comprehensive assessment of neuromuscular qualities.

Background: Whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) combines full-body electrical muscle stimulation with instructor-assigned exercise. Electrical impulses are transmitted to the peripheral muscles through electrodes applied to the body. This study compared two training methodologies, WB-EMS training and traditional resistance training, to determine which approach leads to greater strength improvement in terms of 1-repetition maximum (1-RM). Methods: Twenty sedentary women participated in a 10 weeks protocol with five evaluations conducted every two weeks. The WB-EMS group trained for 20 min per week, and the resistance training group (RT) performed an average of two training sessions per week, lasting 60 min each. Both groups were evaluated using three exercises: back squat and hammer curl (1-RM), and plank exercise (time to exhaustion). Results: Both groups increased their performance in squat (WB-EMS +36%, p = 0.0001; RT +34%, p = 0.0001), curl (WB-EMS +42%, p = 0.0001; RT +33%, p = 0.0001), and plank (WB-EMS +103%, p = 0.0001; RT +65%, p = 0.0001). No significant time × training interaction was found for any exercise, indicating that the two groups improved similarly. Conclusions: Although WB-EMS did not confer greater strength improvement than traditional resistance training, it offers a time-efficient alternative, achieving similar results with reduced time commitment.

Background: Physical activity could increase the production of oxidative stress biomarkers, affecting the metabolism and excretion of antiretroviral drugs and, consequently, the clinical outcome. Nowadays, people living with HIV (PLWH) are mostly switching from triple to dual therapy, but no data are available in terms of physical functioning and oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate if some antioxidant biomarkers and physical functioning tests could be different according to triple or dual antiretroviral therapy. Methods: PLWH were evaluated at baseline (BL), while treated with three drugs, and six months after the switch to dual therapy. Physical functioning was quantified using validated tools. Mitochondrial and cytosol antioxidant molecules were evaluated through liquid chromatography. Results: Twenty-five patients were analyzed. A statistically significant difference between triple and dual therapy was found for mitochondrial glutathione, but not for physical tests. Evaluating differences between physically active and inactive individuals, the following statistically significant differences were suggested, considering triple therapy (mitochondrial n-formyl-methionine p = 0.022, triglycerides p = 0.023) and double therapy (mitochondrial glycine p = 0.035, cytosol glutamic acid p = 0.007, cytosol s-adenosylmethionine p = 0.021). Conclusions: For the first time, this study suggests possible differences in terms of antioxidant molecules and physical functioning in PLWH switching from triple to dual therapy.

Objectives: With the aim to better identify talented Track & Field performance development, this study estimated the relationships between chronological (decimal) age with 60-m sprint, high jump, triple jump, and pole vault performance. Then, to mitigate against expected Relative Age Effects (RAEs), Corrective Adjustment Procedures (CAPs) were applied to an independent sample. Design: Mixed-longitudinal design examining public data between 2005 and 2019. Methods: The performances of 5339 Italian sprinters and jumpers (53.1 %) spanning 11.01-17.99 years of age were examined, with trendlines between chronological age and performance established. Related to an independent sample (N = 40,306; female 45.5 %), trendlines were then utilised to apply CAPs and adjust individual performance. Considering raw and adjusted performance data, RAE distributions were examined for the top 25 % and 10 % performers. Results: For all male and female events, quadratic models best summarised the relationships between chronological age and performance (R2 2 = 0.74-0.89). When examining independent athletes in similar event, RAEs were more pronounced in males (Cramer's V = 0.35-0.14) than females (Cramer's V = 0.29-0.07). For both sexes, RAE magnitude decreased with age and increased according to performance level (i.e., Top25%-Top10%). However, following CAP applications, RAEs were reduced or removed within annual age groups and performance levels. Conclusions: With RAEs prevalent across Italian youth Track & Field events, findings validate CAPs as a strategy to account for the influence of relative age differences on athletic performance. CAPs help establish amore equitable strategy for performance evaluation and could help improve the efficacy of long-term athlete development programming. (c) 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Sports Medicine Australia. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

IntroductionLifestyle influences microbiota composition. We previously reported a healthier microbiota composition in saliva from active schoolchildren compared to sedentary. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of 6 months of different exercise types on physical fitness and saliva microbiota composition in 8-11-years-old sedentary schoolchildren.MethodsSixty-four sedentary children from five primary schools in Turin, Italy, were divided into three groups: one continued normal curricular activity while two underwent different exercise protocols for 6 months. The Structured Exercise (Sa) group did 2 h per week of muscle activation, strength and coordination exercises supervised by a kinesiologist. The Daily Mile (Dm) group did 1 h per week of Sa plus 15 min of walking/running outdoors four times a week, supervised by a class teacher; control group (Ct) did 2 h a week of curricular exercise supervised by a class teacher. Physical fitness was evaluated before and after the intervention. Saliva samples were collected post-intervention in all participants and analyzed using PCR amplification of 16S rRNA bacterial genes. The Amplicon Sequence Variants were filtered, decontaminated, and phylogenetically classified using DADA2 software. Differential abundance analysis of microbiome taxa and pathway data was conducted using the LEfSe algorithm and PICRUSt.ResultsThe Sa group showed better performances in lower limb power and sprint performance while both the Sa and Dm groups improved in endurance and balance at the end of the intervention; only balance resulted slightly improved in the Ct group. Among the genera differently enriched in saliva after the training intervention, we found that the Prevotella, the Dubosiella and the Family XIII AD3011 group were the most abundant in the Sa group; differently, the Neisseria and the Abiotrophia in Ct group. Four species showed significant the Prevotella melaninogenica and the Prevotella nanceiensis were more abundant in the Sa, conversely, Gemella sanguinis was enriched in Dm and Abiotrophia defectiva in Ct saliva group.ConclusionWe demonstrated that Sa and Dm, not curricular exercise, improve the physical fitness components in sedentary schoolchildren correlated to health and promote an enrichment in saliva microbiota species associated to a healthier profile.

This study aimed to compare neuromuscular fatigability of the elbow flexors and extensors between athletes with amputation (AMP) and athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI) for maximum voluntary force (MVF) and rate of force development (RFD). We recruited 20 para-athletes among those participating at two training camps (2022) for Italian Paralympic veterans. Ten athletes with SCI (two with tetraplegia and eight with paraplegia) were compared to 10 athletes with amputation (above the knee, N = 3; below the knee, N = 6; forearm, N = 1). We quantified MVF, RFD at 50, 100, and 150 ms, and maximal RFD (RFDpeak) of elbow flexors and extensors before and after an incremental arm cranking to voluntary fatigue. We also measured the RFD scaling factor (RFD-SF), which is the linear relationship between peak force and peak RFD quantified in a series of ballistic contractions of submaximal amplitude. SCI showed lower levels of MVF and RFD in both muscle groups (all p values ≤ 0.045). Despite this, the decrease in MVF (Cohen’s d = 0.425, p < 0.001) and RFDpeak (d = 0.424, p = 0.003) after the incremental test did not show any difference between pathological conditions. Overall, RFD at 50 ms showed the greatest decrease (d = 0.741, p < 0.001), RFD at 100 ms showed a small decrease (d = 0.382, p = 0.020), and RFD at 150 ms did not decrease (p = 0.272). The RFD-SF decreased more in SCI than AMP (p < 0.0001). Muscle fatigability impacted not only maximal force expressions but also the quickness of ballistic contractions of submaximal amplitude, particularly in SCI. This may affect various sports and daily living activities of wheelchair users. Early RFD (i.e., ≤50 ms) was notably affected by muscle fatigability.